US AOPA and EAA tackle medicals

AOPA USA and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) unveiled plans on 24 September that, if successful, could see thousands more GA pilots not needing aviation medicals to fly.

The two groups have devised an exemption allowing pilots who fly for recreation to use the driver's licence medical standard with a trade-off requiring them to complete a comprehensive course on aeromedical factors and self-certification.

Pilots flying on sport pilot certificates in the USA have not been required to have FAA medical certification for more than five years.

In that time, there has not been a single incapacitation incident, which has encouraged AOPA and the EAA to petition for an expanded scheme. The petition is expected to be filed early 2012.

It is thought the exemption would be limited by aircraft size and type of operations, possibly limited to VFR four-seat, fixed gear operations.

AOPA and EAA estimate that the exemption could save pilots who currently fly with medical certificates nearly $250 million over 10 years, and save the federal government more than $11 million over the same period.

Attempts to remove the requirement for aviation medicals for PPLs in Australia have foundered in recent years, with the only glimmer of hope being the proposed Recreational Pilots Licence being considered by the GA Safety Task Force. These moves in the USA may re-ignite the issue in Australia.